Gigawatts to Megawatts Converter
Enter a value to instantly convert between power units.
1 Gigawatt = 1000 Megawatt
Key Formulas
Kilowatt → Horsepower (mech)
hp = kW × 1.34102Horsepower (mech) → Kilowatt
kW = hp × 0.7457Watt → Kilowatt
kW = W × 0.001Kilowatt → Watt
W = kW × 1000Formula
MW = GW × 1000Policy targets are set in gigawatts; power plants are built in megawatts. When a government announces a 50 GW offshore wind target, developers break it into individual projects: 50,000 MW means roughly 5,000 turbines at 10 MW each. Grid planners also use GW-to-MW when comparing national transmission capacity (GW) to individual corridor ratings (MW), making GW-to-MW the most commonly used scale transition in power system planning.
Source: NIST SP 811, Table B.8
Last reviewed: · see our methodology
Frequently Asked Questions
Real-World Examples
A 1 GW national energy target = 1,000 MW — achievable with five 200 MW solar farms or ten 100 MW wind projects.
1 GW = 1000 MW
A 50 GW renewable energy target = 50,000 MW — the scale of a major national energy transition requiring thousands of projects.
50 GW = 50000 MW
A 0.5 GW regional grid tie = 500 MW of interconnector capacity — a typical high-voltage DC link between neighboring countries.
0.5 GW = 500 MW
A 3 GW pumped hydro storage facility = 3,000 MW of dispatchable power — the backbone of grid balancing in mountainous regions.
3 GW = 3000 MW